1
as in ripping
to cause (something) to separate into jagged pieces by violently pulling at it
angrily tore the letter to shreds
Synonyms & Similar Words
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2
as in yanking
to separate or remove by forceful pulling
tore the book from his hand
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
3
as in hurrying
to proceed or move quickly
she tore out of the room as soon as the phone started to ring
Synonyms & Similar Words
Antonyms & Near Antonyms
Example Sentences
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Recent Examples of tearing
Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Missed the final 14 games last year after tearing his ACL at Tampa.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
The microplastic beads that celebrities were splashing all over their bathroom floors in commercials advertising their benefits were actually tearing our faces up!
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
Lightning sparked the fire now tearing through the historic town, according to Cal Fire.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
The systems were fundamentally broken, and no progress could be made without first tearing them down to the stakes and rebuilding.
—Greg Dolan, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Unlike modern crocodiles, which lie in wait to grab and drown their pray, this beast possessed the kind of build and the dentition for tackling animals head-on and tearing through hide and flesh.
—New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
Aiyuk had a slow start to the campaign before tearing his ACL in Week 7.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Homages to the Bethesda games’ slow-motion kills are aplenty, with gratuitous shots of bullets tearing through bodies and painting the walls red.
—Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
Adjective
Rodgers had a very forgettable two-year run as the Jets QB over the last two seasons, leading the team to a 5-12 record in 2024 after missing all of the 2023 season after tearing his Achilles in the season opener that year.
—Michael Gallagher, MSNBC Newsweek, 7 Sep. 2025
Missed the final 14 games last year after tearing his ACL at Tampa.
—Joe Nguyen, Denver Post, 7 Sep. 2025
The microplastic beads that celebrities were splashing all over their bathroom floors in commercials advertising their benefits were actually tearing our faces up!
—Keyaira Boone, Essence, 5 Sep. 2025
Lightning sparked the fire now tearing through the historic town, according to Cal Fire.
—Mary Gilbert, CNN Money, 3 Sep. 2025
The systems were fundamentally broken, and no progress could be made without first tearing them down to the stakes and rebuilding.
—Greg Dolan, Forbes.com, 28 Aug. 2025
Unlike modern crocodiles, which lie in wait to grab and drown their pray, this beast possessed the kind of build and the dentition for tackling animals head-on and tearing through hide and flesh.
—New Atlas, 27 Aug. 2025
Aiyuk had a slow start to the campaign before tearing his ACL in Week 7.
—Eduardo Tansley, New York Times, 23 Aug. 2025
Homages to the Bethesda games’ slow-motion kills are aplenty, with gratuitous shots of bullets tearing through bodies and painting the walls red.
—Ars Technica, 24 Dec. 2024
Recent Examples of Synonyms for tearing
Verb
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Stringer/Sputnik via AP What To Know Broadly desecration of a flag refers to any action that damages or disrespects it—such as burning it, urinating or defecating on it, defacing it, stepping on it, damaging it with stones or bullets, cutting or ripping it and many others.—
Jasmine Laws,
MSNBC Newsweek,
27 Aug. 2025
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Jordan immediately went to work ripping the tile out and scraping out the mortar, and I got started on an email to the tile company.—
Mary Catherine McAnnally Scott,
Southern Living,
24 Aug. 2025
Verb
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But some lawmakers say that argument is baseless and that yanking the grants has left the state less equipped to prevent tragedies like this week’s attack at Annunciation Catholic School.—
Curt Devine,
CNN Money,
30 Aug. 2025
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See, for example, Trump yanking the security clearances of former Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency director Chris Krebs for his defense of the 2020 election as securely run.—
Rob Pegoraro,
PC Magazine,
30 Aug. 2025
Verb
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Before the new regulations, says Annie Inglis, Marine Biology Presenter with Quark, the expedition crew would be hurrying to get guests in Zodiacs to try to get closer to a bear sighting like this.—
Cassidy Randall,
Forbes.com,
14 Aug. 2025
Verb
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More than a month after his death, Ozzy Osbourne’s music has largely slipped away from the Billboard charts following the headline-grabbing news that one of rock’s founding fathers had passed away.—
Hugh McIntyre,
Forbes.com,
6 Sep. 2025
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SpaceX was also famously involved in funding and operating the headline-grabbing Polaris Dawn crewed commercial mission in September 2024.—
Eric Lagatta,
AZCentral.com,
5 Sep. 2025
Verb
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Warmer temperatures increase evaporation, drying out rivers, reservoirs, soil and vegetation, and speeding up Earth’s water cycle as more water goes back into the air for precipitation.—
John Leos,
AZCentral.com,
3 Sep. 2025
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Another house-sized space rock, spanning around 58 feet, is also speeding towards Earth tomorrow, according to NASA, joined by a 35-foot-diameter asteroid expected to get with 500,000 miles of our planet.—
Soo Kim,
MSNBC Newsweek,
2 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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One spring day in Paris many years ago, my wife, Diana, a most penetrating photographer, capable of seeing like no one else, decided, as an experiment, to walk across the city blindfolded.—
Hisham Matar,
Harper's Magazine,
2 Aug. 2024
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Since the war began in Gaza, more than six months ago, the Israeli magazine +972 has published some of the most penetrating reporting on the Israel Defense Forces’ conduct.—
Isaac Chotiner,
The New Yorker,
12 Apr. 2024
Verb
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Mahomes led the Chiefs in rushing.—
Jesse Newell,
New York Times,
6 Sep. 2025
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Wiley led the Panthers with 80 yards rushing and a touchdown.—
Jordan Neal,
Fort Worth Star-Telegram,
6 Sep. 2025
Adjective
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The characters have this sharp, biting, British humor.—
Alex Ritman,
Variety,
28 Aug. 2025
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The commercial realities of hosting a network television show seem to preclude the biting and incisive commentary, and boundary-pushing humor, for which audiences have turned to YouTube and podcasts.—
Brady Brickner-Wood,
New Yorker,
13 Aug. 2025
Cite this Entry
“Tearing.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/tearing. Accessed 9 Sep. 2025.
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